1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for lubricating railroad rails which is mountable to a track vehicle.
2) Description of the Prior Art
It has long been the practice to apply grease, friction modifying materials or similar gel-like lubricants to the sides of rails at curves, switches and other parts of the railroad track. Such materials are applied to the sides of the rail to reduce the friction which occurs as the flanges of the train""s wheels contact the sides of the rail. Lubricants and/or friction controlling gels are also applied to the top of the rail. The friction reduction results in reduction of wear of both the rail and the wheels and reduces fuel consumption of the locomotion of the train and reduces squealing noises.
Devices for lubricating rails are already known, such as U.S. Pat. No. 5,687,814. Typically, these devices for lubricating rails are mounted on a track vehicle, such as a pickup truck equipped with additional flanged wheels. The lubricating nozzle of the device is secured to a rail gear mounted to a truck body.
As shown in FIG. 1A, preferably, devices for lubricating rails should direct lubricants 1 and 2 along a straight line at a constant fixed distance as measured from a head of a rail 3 and along a straight line at the top of the head. However, due to the suspension of the track vehicle and the varying weight of the vehicle due to varying loads, the positions of the lubricants 1xe2x80x2 and 2xe2x80x2 vary on the rail 3xe2x80x2 as shown in FIG. 1B. These varying positions of the lubricants can cause excessive waste, inefficient lubricant use and locomotion traction problems if the lubricant is mistakenly placed on the top of the rails.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a device for lubricating a rail that can accurately apply lubricant and/or friction modifying material to a rail.
The present invention is a device for lubricating a rail that includes a mounting frame, a first support frame, a roller and a lubricating nozzle. The first support frame includes a first end and a second end. The second end is pivotally secured to the mounting frame. The roller is rotatably secured to the first end of the first support frame and is adapted to ride on a rail. The roller is adapted to rotate about a first axis relative to the first support frame. The lubricating nozzle is mounted to the first support frame for directing lubricant toward a rail.
The device for lubricating a rail can further include a biasing member having two ends, one end mounted to the mounting frame and the other end mounted to the support frame. The biasing member assists in maintaining the support frame in a first position and a second position. The first position maintains the roller in an engaged position with a rail and the second position maintains the roller in a disengaged position. The biasing member can include a gas charged chamber and a piston slidably received by the chamber, where the piston is biased relative to the chamber.
The roller can include a tapered surface defining a recess adapted to receive a portion of the rail. The tapered surface can include a first tapered surface spaced apart from a second tapered surface. The first tapered surface may be dissimilar from the second surface.
Preferably, the first tapered surface and the second tapered surface are frusto-conical shaped and have differing base diameters. More preferably, the roller is made of an electrically insulating material.
Preferably, the first support frame is pivotally secured to the mounting frame and pivots about a second axis parallel to the first axis. Alternatively, the first support frame may be secured to the mounting frame to pivot about a second axis which is not parallel to the first axis. The mounting frame can include a pivot bracket pivotably secured to a mounting bracket frame. The second end of the first support frame is pivotably secured to the pivot bracket. The pivot bracket in the first support frame pivots about a second axis relative to the mounting bracket frame and the first support frame pivots about a third axis relative to the pivot bracket, wherein the first axis and third axis are parallel to each other and the second axis is not parallel to the first axis and the third
A stop may be secured to one of the mounting bracket frames and the pivot bracket. The stop is adapted to contact the other of the pivot bracket and the mounting bracket frame to limit pivotal movement of the pivot bracket relative to the mounting bracket frame. The stop is adjustable to limit pivotal movement of the pivot bracket relative to the mounting bracket frame. The stop may be a threaded member threadably received by the pivot bracket.
The present invention may also include a second lubricating nozzle mounted to the first support frame for directing a lubricant toward a rail. One of the nozzles is arranged to direct lubricant toward the top portion of the rail and the other of the lubricating nozzles arranged to direct a lubricant toward a side portion or gage face of the rail. Preferably, the first support frame includes two spaced apart arms wherein the roller is positioned between the arms. The present invention may further include a centering spring having two ends, one end secured to the mounting bracket frame and the other end mounted to the pivot bracket. The centering spring may be a torsional spring.
The present invention may further include a bumper to which the mounting frame is secured. A second mounting frame may be secured to the bumper. A second support frame is secured to the second mounting frame. A roller is rotatably secured to the second support frame and a lubricating nozzle is mounted to the second support frame for directing lubricant toward a rail, wherein the mounting frames are spaced apart from each other.
The present invention is also a combination that includes the above-described device for lubricating the rail and a wheeled vehicle having a bumper, wherein the device for lubricating the rail is mounted to the bumper.